Organisation profile

Sustainability has many facets. Inter- and transdisciplinary research and teaching characterize the School of Sustainability. Scientists in our research projects work together in the laboratory, on the heath, in the grassland, in the classroom, with the city administration, with farmers, with non-governmental organizations, with companies, with students in the lecture hall and of course at their desks.

Furthermore, we work with regional and national political actors, e.g. ministries, as well as international organizations, e.g. UNEP, UNESCO, EU. We are part of national and international bodies, e.g. sustainability advisory boards of companies, member of the German Sustainability Award, World Biodiversity Council (IPBES), in order to contribute to social change with scientific findings.

Main research areas

Vision
Sustainability science investigates on a theoretical, conceptual and empirical level how to promote sustainable development and how to find and implement effective solutions for current social and ecological challenges. The aim is to create a more sustainable future.

Sustainability researchers are called upon to take responsibility for their research, which is anchored in existing scientific knowledge and methods and serves to make the world a better place for everyone.

Mission
We promote change towards a sustainable future by developing theories, concepts and practices of inclusive education for sustainability, research, governance and management.

We acknowledge the diversity and dynamics of values, norms and behaviour and contribute with transdisciplinary methods to ensuring that tensions and differences between different disciplines, methods, topics and standards are fruitfully taken up and used with productive compromises and further developments towards sustainable development.

Principles
The School of Sustainability is guided by the normative concepts of ecological system integrity and social and economic justice.

Ecological system integrity refers to the safeguarding of life-support systems, as well as the maintenance of the well-being of life on Earth.

With social and economic justice we strive for a world in which all people can fulfil their potential without endangering system integrity and the well-being of others.

Information about the School
The School of Sustainability includes...
... ca. 25 professors
... ca. 100 research assistants
... ca. 1000 students in Bachelor and Master courses

In various inter- and transdisciplinary projects we are constantly researching and working together on changes and solutions for current challenges.

  1. 2011
  2. Published

    Hochschulen und nachhaltige Entwicklung in der Region

    Adomßent, M., 2011, Hochschulen für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung : Nachhaltigkeit in Forschung, Lehre und Betrieb. Bonn: Deutsche UNESCO-Kommission, p. 52-53 2 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to scientific reportsResearch

  3. Published

    Hochwasser- und Küstenschutz unter Klimawandelbedingungen als besonderes Aufgabengebiet von Partizipation und Kooperation

    Grunenberg, H. & Knolle, M., 2011, Nachhaltige Gesellschaft : Welche Rolle für Partizipation und Kooperation?. Heinrichs, H., Kuhn, K. & Newig, J. (eds.). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 167-185 19 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Identifizieren, Verbinden, Verkaufen: Einleitendes zur Maschine Facebook, ihren Konsequenzen und den Beiträgen in diesem Band

    Leistert, O. & Röhle, T., 2011, Generation Facebook: Über das Leben im Social Net. Leistert, O. & Röhle, T. (eds.). Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, p. 7 - 31 25 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesTransfer

  5. Published

    Impact of the tsunami on the coastal ecosystems of the Andaman Islands, India

    Ramchandran, R., Ramachandran, P., Senthilkumar, B. & Urban, B., 2011, The Indian Ocean Tsunami: The Global Response to a Natural Disaster. Karan, P. P. & Subbiah, S. P. (eds.). The University Press of Kentucky, p. 113-126 14 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Impactos do engajamento das empresas com seus stakeholders

    Spitzeck, H., Hansen, E. G. & Alt, E., 2011, In: DOM a revista da Fundação Dom Cabral. 5, 15, p. 28-33 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  7. Published

    Implications of Material Flow Cost Accounting for Life Cycle Engineering

    Viere, T., Prox, M., Möller, A. & Schmidt, M., 2011, Glocalized Solutions for Sustainability in Manufacturing: Proceedings of the 18th CIRP International Conference on Life Cycle Engineering, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany, May 2nd - 4th, 2011. Hesselbach, J. & Herrmann, C. (eds.). 1 ed. Springer, p. 652-656 5 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Income distribution and willingness to pay for ecosystem services

    Baumgärtner, S., Drupp, M., Munz, J., Meya, J. & Quaas, M. F., 2011, 13th Annual BIOECON Conference “Resource Economics, Biodiversity Conservation and Development: 11-13 September 2011, programme and papers. Bioecon, 21 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Indikatoren der Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung - ein Werkstattbericht: Bildung, Wissenschaft, Kultur, Kommunikation

    Michelsen, G., Adomßent, M., Bormann, I., Burandt, S. & Fischbach, R., 2011, Bonn: Deutsche UNESCO-Kommission. 98 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  10. Published

    Informationspflichten Privater nach dem Umweltinformationsgesetz: Anmerkung zum Beschluss des VG Frankfurt vom 7. Juni 2011

    Schomerus, T., 2011, In: ZUR - Zeitschrift für Umweltrecht. 22, 9, p. 440 - 442 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsNotes on court decisionsTransfer

  11. Published

    Innovative Business Models for Offshore Wind Energy: The Case of German Municipal Utilities

    Richter, M., 2011, Sustainability in Innovation. Innovation Management Challenges: XXII ISPIM International Society for Professional Innovation Management ; Conference 2011 ; Hamburg, Germany (12 - 15 June 2011). Huizingh, E., Torkkeli, M., Conn, S. & Bitran, I. (eds.). Hamburg: International Society for Professional Innovation Management, 12 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  12. Published

    Innovative Supplier Management Processes for Sustainability: Explorative Findings from German Stock Corporations

    Harms, D., Hansen, E. G. & Schaltegger, S., 2011, EURAM 2011 Management Culture in the 21st Century: European Academy of Management (EURAM): European Academy of Management (EURAM). Alas, R. & Bessant, J. (eds.). Tallinn, Estonia: Estonian Business School, 37 p. (EURAM Conference).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  13. Published

    In search of the knowledge triangle for regional sustainable development: the role of universities

    Adomßent, M., 2011, Multi-Actor Learning for Sustainable Regional Development in Europe: A Handbook of Best Practice. Guildford: Grosvenor House Publishing, p. 5-18 14 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  14. Published

    Integrale Nachhaltige Entwicklung: Der Beitrag der Integralen Theorie Ken Wilbers zu einer ganzheitlichen Sichtweise Nachhaltiger Entwicklung

    Schäpke, N., 2011, Saarbrücken: VDM Verlag Dr. Müller. 188 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearchpeer-review

  15. Published

    Integrating Art and Education for Sustainable Development. A Transdisciplinary Working Process in the Context of Culture and Sustainability

    Holz, V., 2011, Sustainable Development – The Cultural Perspective. Concepts – Aspects – Examples. Banse, G., Nelson, G. L. & Parodi, O. (eds.). 1 ed. Berlin: edition sigma, p. 239-250 12 p. (Gesellschaft – Technik – Umwelt; vol. 15).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  16. Published

    Integration of Sustainability into Modern Portfolio Theory

    Peylo, B. T., 2011, In: Journal of Management and Financial Sciences. IV, 6, p. 85-109 24 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  17. Published

    Internet-Supported Sustainability Reporting - Expectations and Reality: Empirical Findings from the German DAX30

    Herzig, C. & Godemann, J., 2011, Handbook of Corporate Sustainability: Frameworks, Strategies and Tools. Quaddus, M. A. & Siddique, M. A. D. (eds.). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing, p. 249-281 33 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  18. Published

    Is conceptual vagueness an asset? Resilience research from the perspective of philosophy of science

    Strunz, S., 2011, Lüneburg: Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre der Universität Lüneburg, 29 p. (Working paper series in economics; no. 205).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  19. Published

    “It is not the CO2 itself, it’s the imbalance!”: Conceptual reconstruction of the carbon cycle in global warming

    Niebert, K. & Gropengießer, H., 2011, Authenticity in Biology Education: Benefits and Challenges; A selection of papers presented at the VIII th conference of European Researchers in Didactics of Biology (ERIDOB) 13-17 July 2010 University of Minho, Braga, Portugal . Yarden, A. & Carvalho, G. S. (eds.). Braga: CIEC, Universidade do Minho, p. 339-352 14 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearch

  20. Published

    Jugendhilfe im Wandel: Neun Jahre Kinder- und Jugendhilfeforschung

    Baros, W., Bock, K., Coelen, T., Heite, C., Munsch, C., Oelkers, N. & Rosenbauer, N., 2011, Jugendhilfeforschung: Kontroversen – Transformationen – Adressierungen. A. (ed.). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 11-17 7 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  21. Published

    Just what are temperate and boreal rainforests?

    DellaSala, D. A., Alaback, P., Spribille, T., von Wehrden, H. & Nauman, R. S., 2011, Temperate and boreal rainforests of the world: ecology and conservation. DellaSala, D. A. (ed.). Washington: Island Press, p. 1-41 41 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review